Disney Lifestyle

This fun little play-on-Twitter is being used as a way to announce/promote Disneyland and Disney World’s bicoastal, 24-hour All Night Extravaganza during Memorial Day Weekend. Now, I don’t mean to be a #HATER but I have very little interest in attending this “Extravaganza.” I don’t want to sit in the traffic getting into Disneyland nor do I want to deal with the crowds and I can barely stay up past 10pm as it is. Yes, I’m old, tired and boring. However, I am VERY interested in the gathering of these 140 characters. Who are they? Where do they come from? Who’s missing? Who shouldn’t be here? And, why did the greatest photo-op in the history of life take place at Disney World and not Disneyland? I’m guessing it’s because Florida’s brand new expanded Fantasyland has more room for a 140 character, life sized hashtag. I can’t even think of an area in Disneyland that would have the room for something this ambitious… maybe Small World’s Promenade but I don’t even think that’s big enough. I guess the boring but most likely option would’ve been to do it in the pavilion betwixt Disneyland and Disney California Adventure. Nevertheless, all 140 characters, amongst other things, are listed below!

Top-21 Characters who shouldn’t be here but are (in no particular order) 1. Jake 2. Doc McStuffins 3. Sofia the First 4. Handy Manny 5. Goob 6. Wilbur 7. Lewis 8. Bolt 9. Phineas 10. Ferb 11. Miss Bunny 12. Needleman 13. Abby 14. Chicken Little 15. Ratcliffe 16. Terk 17. Penguin 18. Dug 19. Emile 20. Anastasia 21. Drizella Seriously, Disney Jr.??? Pffsh… Also, if 92% of Disney fans don’t know your name (anybody from “Meet the Robinsons,”Thumper’s gf, Needleman, Abby, etc), I’m not sure you belong. Disney elitism aside, I’m not so sure about Phineas and Ferb either. Maybe I’m just out of touch but are they anywhere near as popular as “Duck Tales” or “Talespin” were? A Penguin from “Mary Poppins” is just too nondescript while characters like Terk, Emile and Ratcliffe are just too forgettable. It was tough to cut the Evil Step-Sisters but there are just too many other worthy and superior characters left out. I could understand those who feel the two Country Bears don’t belong but I was such a fan of their show and us Californians need every reminder of how awesome the Country Bear Jamboree was. #RIP

Clearly, the biggest no-brainers on this list are Donald’s nephews, Tarzan, Jane, Cruella DeVil and Merlin. Sure, Huey, Dewey and Louie don’t have much of a presence at the park (for reasons I don’t understand) but they are some of the most important characters Disney has ever produced. If anyone has run into Cruella DeVil cavorting about Main Street, USA, you’d know how much fun of a presence she can be. It blows my mind how a zero like Terk could make it but not Tarzan and Jane (consistently two of the hotter face characters). I’m sure anyone who remembers The Sword in the Stone Ceremony out in front of the carousel feels the absence of Merlin. To that end, he hasn’t been seen around Disneyland much since his show got the axe – too bad. “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” is one of Disney’s more underrated movies and it pains me to my very core that they didn’t have one representative.

The rest are less necessary than the first wave and more indicative of my own personal biases. Those of us who grew up in the late 80s, early 90s would flip if they saw Darkwing Duck, Launchpad and/or Roger Rabbit (after all, Roger does have his own ride and land!). Being that “Robin Hood” is my all-time favourite, I will take as many characters as they have. Unfortunately, characters from my youth like Little John and Maid Marian are no longer active. “Brother Bear” is another very underrated Disney film that begs for representation. While characters like Gideon and Foulfellow, who are rarely used now but were Disneyland staples of the not-so-distant past, seem to be very strange omissions. Donald’s two pals who, with him, make up “The Three Caballeros” are some of the best costumes Disney has ever created – very bright colours!

Tale of the Tape

20 villainsAlthough, I’m on the fence with Br’er Bear’s inclusion as well as Gaston’s. I know Gaston’stechnically a villain but I could write a pretty compelling argument as to why he isn’t. With Br’er Bear, he’s just kinda along for the ride and is more a victim of “hanging out with the bad crowd” like Mr. Smee. Also, how say you about King Louie? I didn’t count him as a villain but, in a moment of weakness, you might be able to convince me otherwise.

38 face characters“Face Characters” are those who aren’t wearing a mask and can speak. This includes a lot of princes and princesses. The strange thing is that Flora, Fauna and Merriweather are all face characters at Disneyland but are wearing masks in the picture. This must be a nuance between California and Florida. Jack Skellington is an interesting case since a mask covers half his face but not his mouth which allows him to also speak. 42 movies/tv shows/attractions, etc. are representedThe one attraction is The Bear Country Jamboree while “etc.” includes the Classic Disney Characters and Disney Jr. Disney’s newest feature, Frozen, also thankfully made the cut. Those of note who weren’t so lucky are “Fantasia,” “The Sword in the Stone,” “One-Hundred-and-One Dalmatians,” “The Hunchback of Notre Dame,” “The Emperor’s New Groove” and “Brother Bear.”